Alright, Katherine's abs are not rock hard. When you're hit lightly and you don't expect it, you say "Ow" in surprise more than pain. This is what happened with Hermione. It was more like she hit her elbow lightly against a table and gasped in surprise. Hope that clears any confusion.
Chapter 25
Umbridge dragged Harry into Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk looking serene. Professor McGonagall stood behind him looking tense. The Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, was standing by the fire looking very pleased. Kingsley Shacklebolt and a tough-looking wizard were positioned on either side of the door like guards. Percy Weasley hovered excitedly looking prepared to take notes. Harry pulled himself free from Umbridge.
"Well, well," Fudge said with a look of triumph on his face.
"He was heading back to Gryffindor Tower." Umbridge said. "Draco cornered him."
"Did he? I must remember to tell Lucius." Fudge said.
The door opened and Katherine walked in with Cho Chang. She ignored Harry and walked over to Umbridge. She handed Umbridge a piece of parchment and kept one hand on Cho Chang, who was covering her face in her hands.
"Parkinson found this in the Room. It's a list of names." Katherine said. Umbridge latched onto it greedily.
"Who is this?" Fudge asked looking at Cho Chang.
"Minister, this is Cho Chang. She is the one who told Professor Umbridge about the illegal meetings." Katherine answered.
"Look at the Minister in the eye, dear." Umbridge urged.
Cho removed her hands from her face. Fudge jumped back. Harry looked to see the word SNEAK written all over her face. Harry nearly smiled at Hermione's spell work. He caught Katherine's eye and swore that she gave him a small smile, but it was gone too quickly. And, besides, Katherine is a traitor.
Cho grabbed her robes and covered her face. Umbridge sighed impatiently.
"Minister," Umbridge started to say. "Miss Chang came to my office and told me that if I went to a secret room on the seventh floor, I would discover a secret meeting. Unfortunately, that hex came into operation and she became too distressed to continue."
"Well, that was very brave of you, my dear." Fudge said, looking at Cho with what he thought was a fatherly look.
"So, Minister," Umbridge continued. "I found Mr. Malfoy and Miss Peters having dinner and asked them to help me round of these misfits. They came at once and brought some Slytherin students with them. Did you catch anyone else, Katherine?"
"No, Professor. I checked the bathrooms, but they were empty." Katherine replied.
Harry felt nothing else, but utter betrayal. Katherine was having dinner with Malfoy and getting her friends in trouble.
"Well, Miss Peters, your father will be proud." Fudge said.
"Thank you, Minister." Katherine said, inclining her head in respect.
"These meetings were hosted by Potter and they were to convince students to learn spells that the Ministry has decided are inappropriate for school age-"
"I think you'll find that you're wrong, Dolores." Dumbledore interrupted.
Harry looked at him; he had no idea how Dumbledore was going to talk him out of it.
"Oho!" Fudge exclaimed. "Let's hear the latest cock-and-bull story! Was it Potter's evil twin that was running these meetings? Or did a dead man come back to live and tell Potter to do this?"
Percy let out a hearty laugh. "Good one, Minister."
Harry wanted to punch him. But, to his surprise, Dumbledore was smiling.
"That first meeting at Hog's Head was not illegal because the Educational Decree that banned groups was not created until afterwards." Dumbledore pointed out.
Percy looked like someone had just punched him in the face. Fudge had his mouth hanging open. Harry caught Katherine's eye again and swore he saw her smile again, but she wouldn't be.
"Yes, Headmaster, that is correct." Umbridge said smiling his expired honey smile. "But the meetings that took place afterwards are illegal."
"Well," Dumbledore said politely. "They would be, if they had continued. Do you have any evidence of such a thing?"
Harry felt Kingsley move behind him and he thought he heard the Auror whisper something.
"Evidence?" Umbridge repeated. "Have you not been listening? Why do you think Miss Chang is here?"
"Oh? Did she tell us about six months' worth of meetings?" Dumbledore asked. "I thought that she had just mentioned that there was one tonight."
"Miss Chang," Umbridge said. "How long have these meetings been going on? You can simply nod or shake your head. Have they been occurring over the last six months?"
Harry felt his stomach drop. This was it. The end. The evidence that Dumbledore would not be able to shift aside.
"Just nod or shake your head, Cho." Katherine coaxed.
Everyone was staring at the top of Cho's head. Harry looked at her eyes and thought they looked slightly blank. And, to Harry's utter amazement, Cho shook her head.
"You didn't understand the question, did you, dear?" Umbridge asked. "I asked whether there have been meetings going on for the last six months?"
Cho shook her head, again.
"Why are you shaking your head, girl?" Umbridge asked in a testy voice.
Umbridge pulled out the sheet of parchment paper and read it quickly. She looked up at Katherine, who raised her eyebrow.
"Your name is on here, Miss Peters." Umbridge said.
"What?" Katherine said flabbergasted. She walked over to Umbridge and read her name on the parchment.
"Miss Peters, have there been meetings going for six months?" Umbridge asked her.
Harry looked at Katherine. That traitor was going to tell on them. That traitor was going to do what she could to make sure she stayed in favor with the powerful.
"Professor, there have been no meetings." Katherine said. Harry felt a wave of gratitude mixed with astonishment.
"Well, there was one tonight." Fudge interjected.
"Yes, and thanks to this list Miss Parkinson found, we know that Potter was the leader." Umbridge said as she handed Fudge the D.A. list.
"And look what they've named themselves!" Fudge said. "Dumbledore's Army."
Dumbledore reached and took the paper. He gazed at the heading, seeming unable to speak. The he looked up, smiling.
"Well, I guess the game is up," He said. "Would you like a written confession or a statement before these witnesses, Cornelius?"
Harry saw McGonagall and Kingsley look at each other. They both looked afraid.
"Statement?" Fudge said. "What?"
"Dumbledore's Army." Dumbledore said, still smiling as he handed the list back to Fudge. "Not Potter's Army. Dumbledore's Army."
Understanding blazed on Fudge's face.
"You?" Fudge whispered excitedly.
"Me." Dumbledore said pleasantly.
"You organized this?"
"Correct."
"You recruited these students for your army?"
"Tonight was supposed to be the first meeting." Dumbledore said. "I see now it was a mistake to ask Miss Chang and, apparently, Miss Peters."
"My loyalty lies with the Ministry." Katherine said raising her chin.
"Then you've been plotting against me!" Fudge yelled.
"That's right." Dumbledore said cheerfully.
"Well, I came here to expel Potter, but, instead-" Fudge said.
"You get to arrest me." Dumbledore said. "It's like losing a Knut and finding a Galleon."
"Weasley!" Fudge cried, almost dancing with delight. "Have you written everything he said down?"
"Yes, sir." Percy said eagerly.
"Well, go send off a copy to the Daily Prophet. If we're lucky, this will make the morning edition." Fudge said as Percy ran from the room. "Now, Dumbledore, you will be escorted to the Ministry, you will be formally charged and then sent to Azkaban to await trial."
"Ah," Dumbledore said. "I thought we might hit that little snag."
"Snag?" Fudge said. "I see no snag."
"I'm afraid I do." Dumbledore said apologetically. "I'm afraid I have no intention to go to Azkaban."
Umbridge's face was getting redder and redder. Fudge stared at Dumbledore with a silly expression on his face.
"Enough!" Fudge said. "Dawlish! Shacklebolt! Get him!"
Silver light flashed around the room. A loud bang was followed by the floor shaking. Harry saw Katherine twist around and knock him and Cho Chang to the ground. Harry looked and saw Professor McGonagall crouched next to him. Dust was floating down in the air.
Katherine helped Harry and Cho up. Katherine extended her hand to Professor McGonagall and helped her up, as well. Dumbledore made his way over to them.
"Are you all right?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes." Professor McGonagall said.
The dust was clearing. The office was a wreck with desks overturned, instruments in a million pieces. Fudge, Umbridge, Kingsley, and Dawlish were lying motionless on the floor.
"I had to hex Kingsley, too, or it would have looked suspicious." Dumbledore said. "He was very good, modifying Miss Chang's memory like that. Thank him for me, Minerva."
"Professor," Katherine said, Professor Dumbledore turned to her. "I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean it. I-I'm not loyal to the Ministry."
Dumbledore smiled kindly at her. "I know."
"Do I still have to-" Katherine said, begging with her eyes.
"Yes, now more than ever." Dumbledore answered.
"But-" Katherine protested.
"That is the problem of doing your duty too well." Dumbledore said. Katherine looked down at her shoes.
Dumbledore turned his attention back to Professor McGonagall.
"They will awake soon and it will be best if they do not know that we had time to speak. You must act as though no time had passed. Act as though they had just been merely knocked to the ground."
Katherine lied down on the ground and closed her eyes.
"They'll expect me to be knocked down, too." Katherine said, answering their unspoken question.
"Harry," Dumbledore said urgently. "You must learn Occlumency. This is of the upmost important. Close your mind. Promise me."
Harry nodded and Dumbledore raised his hand. Fawkes flew low overhead, Dumbledore grabbed the phoenix's tail. There was a flash of fire and they were gone.
"Where is he?" Fudge demanded as he picked himself up from the ground.
"I don't know!" Kingsley said, leaping to his feet. Katherine was up and helping Umbridge to her feet.
"He couldn't have Disapparated!" Umbridge cried. "You can't inside this school-"
"The stairs!" Dawlish cried. He and Kingsley flung open the door and raced out.
"I'm sorry, Minister," Katherine said with an apologetic smile. "But you'll have to admit that Dumbledore's got style."
Fudge gave Katherine a look and left.
"Professor," Katherine said to Umbridge. "I'll escort Potter back to Gryffindor Tower."
"Very well." Umbridge said.
Katherine roughly grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him from the office. They went to the seventh floor and came to a stop in front of the Room of Requirement.
"We need a place to talk." Katherine muttered. A door appeared and Katherine opened it. She let go of Harry's arm and gestured for him to go in. Harry gave her quizzical look, but walked in, nonetheless. Katherine followed and shut the door.
A small table with two tea cups, a kettle, and a tray of biscuits sat in front of them. Katherine sat down in one of the chairs and Harry sat in the other. Katherine poured each of them some tea and offered Harry cream and sugar.
Katherine was stirring her tea absentmindedly as she stared off into space, biting her lip in thought. Suddenly, she looked at him through piercing green eyes.
"I'm not one of them, Harry." Katherine said, fiercely, drawing herself up. "I believe Voldemort's back. I know Voldemort's back. Cedric didn't drop dead."
Harry looked at her in shock. This was the first time he had heard her say Cedric's name without tears springing to her eyes or her freezing in shock or losing her train of thought.
"Then why did you side with them?" Harry asked harsher than he intended to.
"Because-" Katherine started to say.
"Because you always have to side with the ones in power, don't you?" Harry said getting angry. "You swallow your pride and return to them on bended knee, pleading with them that you are with them! You proved it in there! You looked at me with disgust! You gave her the bloody list! You gave her the evidence! You-"
"Lied." Katherine interjected. "Harry, I lied. Remember? I told Umbridge that the meetings had not occurred. I lied."
"But you still sided with them!" Harry bellowed.
"Because I had to!" Katherine snapped.
"Had to?" Harry scoffed.
"Dumbledore asked me to act as a spy." Katherine said.
"Why would he ask you?" Harry sneered a sneer worthy of Malfoy.
"Because it's easy for me." Katherine said. "Lucius Malfoy is my father. He is besties with the Minister. All I have to do is behave and Umbridge loves me."
"Why didn't he just have Kingsley do it?" Harry asked.
"Because he needs a student. He needs a person who can charm the teacher and keep her friends out of trouble." Katherine said with a pointed stare.
"Why didn't you come to the meeting tonight?" Harry asked, not truly convinced that she was a spy. Katherine smiled kindly at him and must have guessed what he was thinking.
"It takes years to love, but a second to hate, doesn't it, Harry?" Katherine said smiling. "I didn't go to the meeting because Draco asked me to have dinner with him. I couldn't refuse because I would have had to make up an excuse, and he would have gone wherever I said I was going to be just to make sure I was there. And if I wasn't where I said I would be, he would tell my parents, who would yell at me, and make my life a nuisance. It was much easier to have dinner with him. And besides, you were working on Patronuses; I've been able to produce a Patronus since I was thirteen."
"So you had no idea that Cho had snitched?" Harry asked, still dubious.
"No idea." Katherine said. "And if I did, I would have told you."
"Tell me what you were doing tonight." Harry said.
"Draco and I were having dinner in one of the spare rooms-" Katherine started.
"Alone?" Harry asked, narrowing his eyes.
"No, Harry, I was with Draco." Katherine smiled teasingly.
Harry sighed and his head fell into his hands.
"Well, we were just about to start eating dessert. Oh my goodness, Harry, dessert was the best thing ever! It was a chocolate cake in a cup with a fresh scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a raspberry sauce! It was amazing! I mean-" Katherine said, her face brightening with excitement.
"Just get on with it." Harry said, smiling slightly.
"Fine." Katherine smiled. "Anyways, Umbridge came in and asked Draco to help her capture some students that were doing illegal things. I was about to hide under the table, but Draco asked if I could help, as well. Umbridge looked at me and I had to say that I would help.
"She told us where to go and we met up with other Slytherins. Draco saw you run out and chased you. He yelled that he got you and came back saying that I was to look in the girls' bathroom.
"I went in after making sure the corridor was clear. Then I said, 'I am here to take whoever is taking part in an illegal club to Professor Umbridge, but first, I'm going to go check the empty stall for about ten minutes. Don't try to run away, even though the coast is clear.' And then I went into the stall and waited until everyone had left.
"I went out and saw that some Slytherins had cornered Michael Corner and Anthony Goldstein. I hexed the Slytherins, stuffed them in a closet, and told the two boys to run.
"Then Parkinson showed up looking triumphant. She was waving the list under my nose. I grabbed it from her and said that I would take it to Umbridge. She followed me to make sure that I did as I said. I was planning on running to Gryffindor Tower and giving it back to Hermione, but Parkinson foiled that plan.
"So yeah. That's about it." Katherine said.
"So, what now?" Harry asked.
"I have to pretend that I'm on Umbridge's side until Dumbledore gets back." Katherine said, frowning.
"Fun." Harry said sarcastically.
"That's why I sent you that letter." Katherine said. "I was trying to explain why I was going to act very rude."
"You didn't explain very well." Harry said.
"I know." Katherine said, sighing. "I couldn't say it all in the letter. There was the off chance that the charm wouldn't work and the letter would get intercepted."
"Off chance?" Harry said.
"Oh, you're right; on the very, very, very, very slight chance that my spell wouldn't work." Katherine smiled. Harry smiled, too.
He looked at Katherine and didn't quite trust her. She said that she was doing it for Dumbledore, but she does live with the Malfoys. She grew up with the Malfoys. Wasn't it possible that she's acting like a spy for them? That she's only pretending to be their friend?
Harry didn't trust her. Honestly, he was still angry about her rejecting him after their three kisses. Three kisses. Three perfect, beautiful, wonderful kisses. She was acting like they meant nothing. She was acting like she felt nothing.
So, Harry decided that he too would feel nothing.